Casey Kasem: Radio Legend Dies At 82

So sad. Casey Kasem, a legendary radio DJ who hosted beloved shows like ‘American Top 40,’ passed away on June 15. He was 82 years old.

From being the voice of Shaggy in Scooby-Doo to founding and hosting famous radio show American Top 40, Casey Kasem‘s voice was beloved by millions of fans. After a long battle with Parkinson’s disease, Casey passed away at the age of 82.

Casey Kasem: American DJ Dies At 82

So sad. Casey passed away on June 15 at the age of 82, his daughter Kerri Kasem confirmed.

Kerri posted a heartfelt message on her Facebook page about her father’s death.

Early this Father’s Day morning, our dad Casey Kasem passed away surrounded by family and friends. Even though we know he is in a better place and no longer suffering, we are heartbroken. Thank you for all your love, support and prayers. The world will miss Casey Kasem, an incredible talent and humanitarian; we will miss our Dad.
With love, Kerri, Mike and Julie.

Casey was born Kemal Amin Kasem on April 27, 1932, in Detroit, Michigan. He made his first radio appearance in high school and studied radio broadcasting at Wayne State University. In 1962, Casey was drafted into the US Army and sent to Korea. While serving in Korea, Casey became an announcer and DJ for the Armed Forces Radio Korea Network.

In 1963, Casey moved to Los Angeles and began working at KRLA and pursuing his acting career. Casey’s big break came when Dick Clark offered him a job hosting a TV musical show called Shebang! Casey appeared in various movie and TV roles and ultimately launched American Top 40 in 1970. It became one of the most popular syndicated radio shows ever around the world.

Casey Kasem’s Legacy: The Radio Legend’s Life

Casey was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1992 and then the National Broadcaster’s Hall of Fame in 1995. He became famous for his weekly sign off on American Top 40. The DJ would end every show with: “Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.” During his final years, Casey’s wife of 34 years, Jean Kasem, and his children battled over where and how his health would be treated. Ultimately, Casey’s daughter Kerri was awarded conservatorship. On June 11, a judge ruled that Kerri could end life support for her father. Our thoughts are with Casey’s family and friends during this very difficult time. Casey will be deeply missed.

I’m kinda confused as to why Casey’s daughter fought so hard to get control from his wife. It seems like it was to speed up his dying process and kill him off faster. She was the one who orders the starvation execution of her father. Makes you wonder what her motives were now, since he dies just a few days after the courts gave her control.

This whole situation with Casey rubs me the wrong way. His children, mainly his daughter from his first marriage has been fighting his wife for control over her father’s medical care. She’s was in and out of courts filing motions to force his wife to let them see him, and saying she was keeping him from them. The daughter even filed a missing person report, but when Casey was found they found him in happy spirits and well cared for by his wife. The U.S. courts takes the rights away from his wife who he was married to for over 30 years and gives them to his daughter, who he has had no contact with for many years by his own doing. Then the minute she gets control over his care she withholds fluids and nourishment from him, and just lets him suffer and die from starvation? Casey’s wife has been saying from the beginning that his children just wanted to kill him for their portion of his life insurance. I’m beginning to believe she may have been right all along. Something about this whole situation is very disturbing and no court should be able to take the rights away from a wife of more than 30 years. Shame on those children.

Let me get this straight… His children wanted to see him so bad, and chased him across the country only to get control then withhold nourishment from him so he would die? When his daughter filed a missing person report, the police found him and said he was alert, healthy, and receiving good medical care, the daughter gets control and he dies within a weeks time. What’s wrong with this picture??? No wonder the wife was trying to get Casey away from his daughter. I’d say her fear was real. Dr. Kavorkian is alive! Something is not right here!!

Casey lived a long life and by his choice did not have a relationship with his children from his first marriage and by his choice did not put them in his will. A Judge intervened and gave them control over something he never wanted them in control of, his life. He is dead now because of it, and finally at peace and away from those demonic children. I just feel bad for his wife and their daughter, because of what those other children did to Casey.

It’s a shame that his life ended the way it did, with the family bickering. His wife wanted him to have food and water and his daughter didn’t and the judge agreed with the daughter not to feed him and the result of no food and water is death. So, the daughter basically killed him with the approval from a Judge. It’s mind boggling and shouldn’t be legal to take the decision making away from a wife of 34 years.

Those money grubbing kids got involved and now he’s dead because all they want, is to fight his wife over the money since Casey cut those no good leeches out of his will. He didn’t have contact with them for years for a reason and a Judge put them in control? He’s dead because they killed him.